The Lithuanian government has declared a nationwide emergency situation in response to repeated incursions of smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, BNS reports. At the same time, the government proposed that the parliament, the Seimas, grant the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) extended powers to assist law enforcement for three months. The balloon incursions…
Lithuania has asked the European Commission (EC) to help release Lithuanian trucks detained in neighbouring Belarus, BNS reports. Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and Transport Minister Juras Taminskas urged the EC to draw up a coherent action plan to support EU haulage companies. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said that around 280 Lithuanian trucks were stuck in…
Recent Belarusian actions against Lithuania “could be recognised as terrorism,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene stated, BNS reports. She was referring to the launch of smuggler balloons from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace and the detention of Lithuanian trucks in Belarus. The actions endangered aviation security and violated international law, Ruginiene noted, saying that she was…
The Lithuanian government has decided to accept half of allocated migrants into the country and pay for the remainder under the EU’s migration and asylum pact, the Ministry of Interior announced, ELTA reports. The ministry said that the decision was based on an assessment of national capacity, the regional migration situation, and the ability of…
The EU is preparing new sanctions against Belarus, following repeated incursions of smuggler balloons from Belarus into Lithuania, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, BNS reports. Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys urged the EU not to allow the Belarusian regime to blackmail and escape its international isolation and have sanctions lifted, ELTA…
Staff at Lithuania’s public broadcaster, Lietuvos Nacionalinis Radijas ir Televizija (LRT), have announced a week-long protest against a proposal to make it easier to remove the company’s director general, LRT reports. During the action, the staff will hold brief moments of silence on air. Also, journalists plan a protest rally outside the Lithuanian parliament, the…
Three members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, have submitted a draft resolution to recognise Palestinian statehood, BNS reports. The resolution was submitted by two MPs from the far-right populist party, Dawn of Nemunas (PPNA), Petras Dargis and Karolis Neimantas, and MP Rimas Jonas Jankunas of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVZS). Both parties are part…
Latvia’s Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) has called on its coalition partner, New Unity, to support withdrawing from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence, LETA reports. ZZS argued that a case of alleged inappropriate behaviour by a foreign worker towards a minor in Liepaja demonstrated that…
Latvia’s ruling coalition has failed to secure a quorum in the parliament, the Saeima, for two weeks during votes on contested bills, LETA reports. On 2 October 2025, opposition parties again broke the quorum to preempt a final vote on transposing EU directives on emission trading systems into national law. Only 48 out of 100…